Features

Incidental Cases and Staff Shortages Make COVID’s Next Act Tough for Hospitals

Unlike previous surges, large portions of patients with COVID are coming to the hospital for other reasons.

Is My Cloth Mask Good Enough? The 2022 Edition

Public health officials are recommending that people upgrade from their cloth masks to higher-quality medical-grade masks.

Supreme Court Weighs Biden’s Workplace COVID Vaccine Requirements

The Supreme Court has overturned the OSHA rule that says large companies must require either vaccination or masks and regular testing.

Long COVID is Pitting Patients Against Doctors. That’s A Problem.

Health care professionals must act swiftly to ensure frustrated patients don’t fall victim to misinformation.

Actor Judi Evans, pictured with her horse, Roo, was admitted to the Riverside Community Hospital after a horse-riding accident in Norco, California, in May 2020.

As Patients Fell Ill With Covid Inside Hospitals, Government Oversight Fell Short

Hospitals with high rates of COVID patients who didn’t have the diagnosis when they were admitted have rarely been held accountable.

Is It Time to Change the Definition of ‘Fully Vaccinated’?

It’s been more than six months since many Americans finished their COVID-19 vaccination series, and their immunity may be waning.

Why You Can’t Find Cheap At-Home COVID Tests

Some think the U.S. should have had an equivalent of Operation Warp Speed for COVID-19 testing.

Success of COVID Antiviral Pills Hinges on Access to Speedy and Accurate Tests

The new drugs must be used within a narrow window of time after developing symptoms.

COVID Testing, Turnaround Times Are Still Uneven This Far Into Pandemic

The ability to get a test — and timely results — can vary widely nationwide.

Our COVID Cocoon: The Parents Aren’t Alright (But Help May Be Coming)

The pending authorization of COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 is a light at the end of the quarantine tunnel.

COVID Immunity Through Infection or Vaccination: Are They Equal?

Evidence is growing that contracting SARS-CoV-2 is generally as effective as vaccination at preventing COVID-19.

Organ Centers to Transplant Patients: Get a COVID Shot or Move Down on Waitlist

A growing number of transplant programs are barring patients who refuse COVID vaccines or giving them lower priority on waiting lists.

A small town in West Virginia. Many rural residents must travel hours to see a health care specialist.

COVID Is Killing Rural Americans at Twice the Rate of Urbanites

High incidence of cases and low vaccination rates don’t fully capture why mortality rates are so much higher in rural areas.

Will ‘Dr. Disinformation’ Ever Face the Music?

A steady stream of spurious claims about COVID-19 vaccines and treatments swirl around the public consciousness.

Is My Cloth Mask Good Enough to Face the Coronavirus Delta Variant?

Mask guidance has been mixed since the dawn of the pandemic, and new research has altered conventional thinking.

I Got a “Mild” COVID Breakthrough Case. Here’s What I Wish I’d Known.

I’d put my breakthrough case of COVID right up there with my worst bouts of flu.